Connector

ABSTRACT

A connector for connecting a lead wire to a terminal socket, such as an anode socket. The connector includes a clip formed of spring sheet metal and comprising legs which bow inwardly and then outwardly to flanged ends. Compression of the legs causes the bowed segments to engage and increase spring retention force of the clip. A crimp barrel fastens the clip to the conductor wire, and a bead around a portion of the crimp barrel and along the length of the legs provides an excellent electrical and mechanical connection between the lead wire and the connector clip, as well as flexural strength to the legs. The clip is seated in a flexible, insulating cup which controls the flexure of the legs.

United States Patent [191 Biba et a].

[ CONNECTOR [75] Inventors: Edward A. Biba, Westchester;

Leonard A. Sowinski, Chicago, both of 111.

[73] Assignee: Mandex Manufacturing Company,

Inc., Chicago, Ill.

[22] Filed: Dec. 22, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 210,939

[52] US. Cl. 339/12 V, 339/74 R, 339/252 R,

339/259 R [51] Int. Cl H01r 11/30 [58] Field of Search 339/12, 74, 75, 77,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,258,732 6/1966 Martin 339/59 3,431,544 3/1969 339/256 1,309,887 7/1919 339/223 3,199,065 8/1965 Thompson 339/149 P FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Switzerland 339/252 P Jan. 1, 1974 2/1946 Great Britain 339 52 P OTHER PUBLICATIONS .3 22.1591 46. .2 1199? Tuchel Primary Examiner-Marvin A. Champion Assistant Examiner-Robert A. Hafer Att0rney-Richard G. Lione [57] ABSTRACT A connector for connecting a lead wire to a terminal socket, such as an anode socket. The connector includes a clip formed of spring sheet metal and comprising legs which bowinwardly and then outwardly to flanged ends. Compression of the legs causes the 'bowed segments to engage and increase spring retention force of the clip. A crimp barrel fastens the clip to the conductor wire, and a bead around a portion of the crimp barrel and along the length of the legs provides an excellent electrical and mechanical connection between the lead wire and the connector clip, as well as flexural strength to the legs. The clip is seated in a flexible, insulating cup which controls the flexure of the legs.

3 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures ELY CONNECTOR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates generally to a connector for electrically and mechanically connecting an insulated lead wire to a socket. It relates more particularly to an anode connector for connecting a lead wire to the electrode socket of a cathode ray tube or the like.

The anode conductor connected to the cathode ray tube in todays television receivers is designed to carry a high electrical current factor. Accordingly, it is important that the anode connector be securely seated. Yet in anode connectors presently in use, the legs of the connector clip which retain the connector in a concave or bowl-like anode socket are not capable of producing a really high retention'force. They can become disengaged from the socket if a sharp pull is inadvertently applied to the lead wire. In addition, faulty connections between the lead wire and the clip are commonplace.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an anode connector which inherently increases the spring force retaining the clip in the anode socket of a cathode ray tube or the like. An additional object is to provide an anode connector which cannot inadvertently be removed from its socket without a substantial application of force. Still another object lies in the provision of means forming an improved electrical andmechanical connection between the lead wire, the wire insulation jacket, and the crimp barrel of an anode connector clip. An additional object is to provide a flexible insulating cup surrounding a spring type anode connector clip wherein the cup has beveled internal surfaces which accommodate the spread of the widely bowed legs of the connector clip.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The foregoing and other objects of the invention will appear from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein similar reference characters have been employed to designate corresponding parts throughout the several views:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of the anode connector embodying features of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken along section 2-2 of FIG. 1, with parts removed;

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of the anode connector;

FIG. 4 is a detail view of the connection between the crimp barrel of the clip and the lead wire; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 2, with the anode connector seated on a cathode ray tube.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIG. 5, a cathode ray tube is shown generally at 10. Formed on the back of the tube is an anode terminal 12 having a bowl-like socket or opening 14. An anode connector embodying features of the present invention forms a connection between the socket l4 and an insulated lead wire 22.

The lead wire 22 comprises a sheath of insulating material 24 from which a portion 26 of bared wire extends. The connector 20 includes a clip 27 seated in a suction cup 28 made of flexible plastic or rubber or the like. The suction cup 28 is designed to ahdere to the back of the cathode ray tube 10.

The clip 27 is die-punched and formed from spring sheet steel and comprises a crimp barrel 30 which circumferentially engages the end portion of the insulating material 24. Extending tangentially from crimp barrel 30 at points displaced approximately from each other are identical, opposed clip legs 32. The inner segments of legs 32 are bowed toward each other to intermediate segments and then outwardly again to the leg ends 38. The clip leg ends 38 each have a pair of outwardly bent flanges 42 formed thereon to seat in and grip the socket 14.

According to the invention, thelegs 32 may be compressed together, due to the flexible character of the spring sheet metal from which they are made, until they contact one another at their intermediate segments in the region designated 36. The leg ends 38 may then be brought even closer together by applying additional force to the clip ends. Additional force is needed to compress the leg ends 38 further together against the restraint of their intermediate segments in contact at 36. The significance of this relationship is hereinafter discussed.

Extending around the crimp barrel 30 intermediate its ends is an indented bead 46. The bead 46 extends into and along the length of the legs 32 and imparts maximum flexural strength to the legs 32 and the clip barrel 30.

In addition the bead 46 provides an excellent electrical and mechanical connection between the wire portion 26 extending beyond the insulating material 24 and the crimp barrel 30. As'best seen in FIG. 4, the wire portion 26 is bent back and laid against the outer circumference of the insulating material 24. When the lead wire 22 end is slipped into the barrel 30, with the legs slightly spread, and then the legs are released, the bead 46-presses tightly against the wire portion 26 and holds it securely against the insulation material 24.

The clip 27 is seated in the insulating suction cup 28, as has been pointed out. The cup 28 includes a hollow, tubular section 48 which extends radially from the body 49 of the cup. The body 49 of the cup 28 is cylindrical and contains a generally rectangular crosssection chamber 50 in internal communication with the tubular section 48. The chamber 50 opens at its other end into the skirt section 51 of the cup.

The wire lead 22 and insulating material 24 extend through the tubular section 48 of the cup 28 into the crimp barrel 30 of the clip which is seated against the roof of the chamber 50 in the cup. In this relationship, the barrel 30 is crimped onto the wire end portion 26 and the insulation material 24 which it overlies.

With the clip 27 seated in the cup 28 in this manner, the legs 32 are normally disposed as illustrated in FIG. 2, spaced somewhat apart. Beveled recesses 52 are formed in the end of the chamber 50 to receive these legs and permit them to nestle uncompressed within the chamber 50.

To seat the connector 20 in the socket 14, as seen in FIG. 5, a slight compressive force is applied to clip legs 32 through flexible insulated cup 28, causing leg ends 38 to be forced toward each other. The bowed configuration of the legs 32 soon causes them to contact one another in region 36. Additional pressure is then applied to bring leg ends 38 even closer together against this additional bias.

The leg end flanges 42 are then placed in socket l4 and the compressive force is released, permitting leg ends 38 to move outwardly and the flanges 42 to complete the connection. The bowed configuration of legs 32 causes the legs to remain in contact with each other in region 36 when connector is seated in socket 14 (FIG. 3). This greatly increases the spring force tending to retain connector 20 in socket 14.

While we have shown and described a preferred embodiment of our invention, it will be understood that various modifications and rearrangements may be made therein withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is desired to be claimed and secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. An electrical connector assembly, comprising:

a. socket means having an opening of predetermined width,

b. lead means including an insulation covering on wire means with an end portion of said wire means extending from said insulation covering,

c. a connector clip seated in an insulating member,

d. said clip including crimp barrel means into which said lead means extends with said crimp barrel means extending substantially around the circumference of said lead means, and

e. a pair of legs extending from said crimp barrel means,

f. said legs terminating in socket gripping ends which, when said clip is in its unstressed position, are

spaced a predetermined greater distance apart than said width and adapted to seat in said socket or be removed therefrom only when spaced a predetermined lesser distance apart than said width,

g. said legs being bowed inwardly toward each other at opposed intermediate segments thereof whereby with said socket gripping ends of said legs seated in said socket the intermediate segments are in engagement increasing the spring force required to compress said ends and the contact force between said gripping ends and said contact.

2. The connector assembly of claim 1 further characterized by and including:

a. indented bead means extending around a portion of said crimp barrel and substantially along the length of said legs,

b. said end portion of said wire means beinb bent backwardly upon said insulation within said crimp barrel,

c. said bead means firmly engaging said insulation over said end portion of said wire means to form a secure mechanical and electrical connection between said clip and said wire means.

3. The connector assembly of claim 1 further characterized in that:

a. said insulating member comprises a suction cup,

b. said cup having a chamber in which said clip is seated,

c. beveled recesses formed in the walls of said chamber and receiving corresponding legs when said legs are spread their normal distance. 

1. An electrical connector assembly, comprising: a. socket means having an opening of predetermined width, b. lead means including an insulation covering on wire means with an end portion of said wire means extending from said insulation covering, c. a connector clip seated in an insulating member, d. said clip including crimp barrel means into which said lead means extends with said crimp barrel means extending substantially around the circumference of said lead means, and e. a pair of legs extending from said crimp barrel means, f. said legs terminating in socket gripping ends which, when said clip is in its unstressed position, are spaced a predetermined greater distance apart than said width and adapted to seat in said socket or be removed therefrom only when spaced a predetermined lesser distance apart than said width, g. said legs being bowed inwardly toward each other at opposed intermediate segments thereof whereby with said socket gripping ends of said legs seated in said socket the intermediate segments are in engagement increasing the spring force required to compress said ends and the contact force between said gripping ends and said contact.
 2. The connector assembly of claim 1 further characterized by and including: a. indented bead means extending around a portion of said crimp barrel and substantially along the length of said legs, b. said end portion of said wire means being bent backwardly upon said insulation within said crimp barrel, c. said bead means firmly engaging said insulation over said end portion of said wire means to form a secure mechanical and electrical connection between said clip and said wire means.
 3. The connector assembly of claim 1 further characterized in that: a. said insulating member comprises a suction cup, b. said cup having a chamber in which said clip is seated, c. beveled recesses formed in the walls of said chamber and receiving corresponding legs when said legs are spread their normal distance. 